PHILADELPHIA – Members of the Saint Joseph's men's tennis team opened play at the ITA Northeast Regional Championships on Thursday at the University of Pennsylvania.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• A quintet of Hawks played in the singles qualifying draw, with Ernesto Ruy and Sehaj Singh Pawar earning wins in their opening matches.  Ruy battled from a set down to top Jonah Chernett of Penn, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, while Pawar rallied in his match as well for a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 win.
 
• Both fell in the second round of qualifying matches, one round short of the main draw.
 
• Damir Abdusamadov, Oscar Baumgartner, and Jakob Gaudreau Barnes were also in the qualifying draw, but were eliminated in the opening round.
 
UP NEXT
Doubles play kicks off on Friday, while Santiago Valle takes part in the singles main draw as well.
 
SAINT JOSEPH'S RESULTS
 
Singles Qualifying Draw and Consolations
Ernesto Ruy (SJU) def. Jonah Chernett (Penn), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Francisco Guimaraes (NJIT) def. Ruy (SJU), 6-4, 6-2
Sehaj Singh Pawar (SJU) def. Aayush Bhat (Temple), 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
Riccardo Campagnola (NJIT) def. Pawar (SJU), 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
Venedikt Tsirikidze (St. John's) def. Jakob Gaudreau Barnes (SJU), 7-6 (3), 6-4
Adrien Ducruet (Temple) def. Oscar Baumgartner (SJU), 7-5, 7-5
Armando Sotelo (St. John's) def. Baumgartner (SJU), 6-3, 6-1
Maj Kolaric (Temple) def. Damir Abdusamadov (SJU), 6-1, 7-5
Mateusz Gradzki (Fordham) def. Abdusamadov (SJU), 6-1, 6-4